Judging by Northwood’s recent results at home, you may have been forgiven for thinking this game was always going one way, but Barton had other ideas on a sunny afternoon in Middlesex.

Northwood came into the penultimate game and their last home game of the season off the back of a resounding 5-0 home win over Woodford United on Tuesday evening – their biggest win of the campaign; but this was nowhere near the level of performance we have seen numerous times since Gary Meakin took the helm at Northwood. The Woods were missing both first choice goalkeepers and so they called on Dan Lee, a man who played at Northwood under Steve Hale, to fill in between the sticks but he didn’t have the best of afternoons, like most of the Woods team.

Gary Meakin stressed that the level of performance had to remain the same despite Northwood securing survival, but on the evidence of this afternoon’s showing that hasn’t sunk in yet, despite Tuesday’s hammering of Woodford. Barton started the brighter and went within inches of taking the lead, when a rocket of a shot hammered the crossbar only to fall back to safety. Lee was then forced into action moments later when he parried a shot from Russell Bull. Despite Northwood’s passing game coming to the fore, they couldn’t create any meaningful chances, as every ball forward, primarily towards target man and captain Oliver Hawkins was dealt with ease. A short time later and the Woods almost fell behind; the midfield fell asleep allowing Spence to roam forward who then unleashed a driven shot which crashed into the side netting. Anxious Northwood supporters were urging their team to focus and to close the spaces as it appeared all too easy for their Bedfordshire-based visitors.

Northwood hadn’t forced a save from the Barton goalkeeper, and they finally registered their first shot on goal when midfield anchorman Rob Ursell’s tame shot crept wide. The game was largely played in the middle of the park and the proceedings were generally congested with neither side able to carve any openings. After about 40 minutes Gary Meakin made his first substitution, taking off the presumably injured Aaron Lansiquot and replacing him with Richard Worrell, however it may have been a tactical reshuffle.

The next phase in play was like a flashback to the old Northwood prior to the arrival of Meakin, when a seemingly long ball to nobody went through to keeper Lee, who despite being under pressure should have done better. Bull chased the ball and Lee fluffed his lines directing it straight to Bull, who rounded the hapless goalkeeper and placed it into the net. It was a hammer blow right on the stroke of half time and a very frustrating moment, as Northwood gifted Rovers what proved a decisive advantage. Northwood should have levelled, however, when Kevin Wynter was played clean through one on one similar to the events on Tuesday, only to blast over the bar. Barton then went very close to doubling their advantage when Lee scuffed his clearance but recovered sufficiently to clear off the line.

The first half was frustrating in many respects for the Woods, and that was evident on the faces of the players. Northwood were upping the tempo in search for an equaliser at the start of the 2nd half. They should have been level: in the first period Wynter was the guilty party and he was on this occasion too, when excellent work by Worrell ended with him playing a ball across the penalty area only for Wynter, who must only have been about 4 yards out to sky over the bar once more – it proved to be a costly miss!

Ursell then whipped in a ball which only just went over from a Hawkins header. Northwood were looking more likely to score, but Barton were largely solid at the back. Barton were trying to stifle and frustrate the Woods and it was definitely working a treat, Rovers hadn’t forced Lee into a save but were still leading 0-1. Barton were starting to see more of the ball, and a lovely move ended with them 2-0 to the good. Their first meaningful chance of the 2nd half gave them a bit of breathing space. A ball down the left was played in and Bull glanced it past Lee in the Northwood goal. Meakin responded by taking off a frustrated James Bent and replacing him with Miles Jones, who recently received international clearance to play again for the club. Northwood needed a quick response, and a response they got, as a telling ball in by Worrell only just evaded Hawkins at the back post. A quick move almost resulted in a third Barton goal, Lee’s attempted clearance was woeful and the advancing Barton attacker appeared to have been brought down, only for the referee John O’Brien to wave their claims away.

Rob Ursell then glided past two challenges only to drag the resulting shot wide of the mark. Worrell then cleverly turned the defender but his shot to be blocked by the covering Barton player. Northwood had plenty of half chances but didn’t make it count; this was epitomised when on-loan Woking defender Daniel Sintim headed over from an Ursell free-kick. Northwood finally got a break, when Worrell was brought down after 86 minutes and the Woods were awarded a penalty. Worrell coolly stepped up to slot home what proved to be a mere consolation. Northwood had about five minutes to get an equalizer but Wynter’s shot proved to be the last chance as it was comfortably saved.

Northwood have improved considerably since Meakin took the helm, but this was definitely a day where things didn’t go to plan. It was a frustrating afternoon where Northwood couldn’t make their possession count, something they have done prolifically since ‘Meaks’ took the hot seat at Chestnut Avenue. A disappointing end to Northwood’s renaissance period in the last home game of the season. Northwood now head to local rivals Uxbridge at Honeycroft on Bank Holiday Monday, managed by Northwood’s most successful manager Tony Choules, as they look to end the season on a high, and avenge a 0-2 defeat by Uxbridge at Northwood Park in February.

Report by MATT FORD

Photos by James Brown